Inova X5 (white)

Thanks gents. I should throw in 2 new 123s the next time I'm in Target and do a side-by-side. My beam does appear a bit blue with a yellowish corona which sounds like the newer LEDs... It may well be the older LEDs though. I was sort of hoping for a more obvious difference a la' the original X5 to the X5t.

No matter what this is definitely one of my favorite lights!

Chronos said:

Thanks gents. I should throw in 2 new 123s the next time I'm in Target and do a side-by-side. My beam does appear a bit blue with a yellowish corona which sounds like the newer LEDs... It may well be the older LEDs though. I was sort of hoping for a more obvious difference a la' the original X5 to the X5t.

No matter what this is definitely one of my favorite lights!

Click to expand...

I did a side by side eye ball test with the two X-5s,was in a dark room against a white wall,beam shots style.Old vs new,hope this helps.

Quickbeam said:

Ok. I bought one today. Relative to each other, the newer version has a slightly yellowish corona surrounding a slightly bluish center, while the older appears a bit purplish. When you turn on just one or the other in a room, the eyes adjust and they appear just plain white.

Interesting to note that the newer X5 has very similar color tint to the new X1, so they appear to both be using the new LEDs...

I found that the packaging at Target either has a lanyard or a sheath. Careful comparison in the store allowed me to find the two brightest, one "lanyard packaged", one "sheath packaged". I took the sheath packaged one. Some were a little bit dimmer, but none were extremely so. I also noted that the new X1's are all coming with a lanyard instead of a sheath now, so the lanyard is probably the standard for the new ones and they were using up the old sheaths in the packaging with some of the new X5's.

How about some numbers?

Older
Throw: 9.21
Overall: 8.95

Newer
Throw: 15.00
Overall: 20.00

Much brighter! I'm doing the runtime right now. We'll see how it holds up.

Doug P.

Click to expand...

I posted a while back that I tried one in the store and it was a lot brighter than I expected. But no one believed me

Actually, we believed you, but the quantified numbers make it easier to see just how much brighter.

Naah, I didn't believe him! :lolsign:

Kidding!

I am SO trying to resist this light. When does flasholism become simple greed?

When you realize resistance is futile?:lolsign:

Get one, you won't be disappointed.

cannot justify it, but still want it!

aauugghh, what have you people done to me?

I was the same way prof, I resisted it for a long time, saying it was too big, older technology and yet it trapped me when I went into Target to buy something else and my resistance was weakened by UnknownVTs excellant review.

Now however, I am glad I did, it has become one of my top most used lights.

prof wrote: "cannot justify it, but still want it!
aauugghh, what have you people done to me?"

OK....
here are some counter-points.

To me $35 is too expensive - I do know about lower prices on the web - but by the time one adds shipping it still comes to be about the same, and there's a HUGE advantage buying from one's local Target where one can pick and choose, and there's a great no-fuss return policy.

With five 5mm LEDs (suspected over-driven Nichia CS) the Inova X5 IS surprisingly bright - very comparable to a good 1watt Lux. BUT brightness is not everything - when I turn on the light I am still surprised by how bright it is -
but I don't really USE it much - I just turn it on to marvel at.......
why? It's too bright for most closer tasks - it might be a bit better for outdoors use like walking, but for me the Inova X5 size means I have to carry it in its holster on a belt - so no EDC for me..... YMMV.

Runtime claim of 20hours I think maybe suspect with the new LEDs -
I got current draw of between 0.21-0.26A - this extrapolates to only about 7 hours even with 100% efficiency on typical 1500mAh CR123 batteries......

However I remain impressed with its build construction and "solid-state" look - where it seems there is almost nothing one can break......

It seems like it would be a good companion for my T1...but I can't think of why I NEED another light. Was thinking about a surefire (do not have any) or other incan, just for extra through, or building a hotwire (ROP probably), or saving for the hds or Peter's new light when it's available, but then target is so close, and after we move there won't be any targets nearby, and the x5 would be a great light for my office / bookbag...

:touche:

prof wrote: "...but I can't think of why I NEED another light."

What kind of flashaholic talk is that?
... we may have to ask you to surrender your CPF membership card

prof wrote: "x5 would be a great light for my office / bookbag..."

if pocketability is not an issue the X5 is a still a very compact light,
and if you want a light that's near "bulletproof", and dependable under seemingly all circumstances - then the Inova X5 probably is it
- at almost any price......

I use it a lot outdoors around the yard, and stuck in a sweatpants pocket or tshirt pocket at night a lot around the house.

I have found that it is not bad to carry though in a hip pocket rather than a holster, nestled in place by my wallet. It is not at all uncomfortable like that, however, I am used to carrying a folder carried the same way so it is a feeling I am used to. It is not what I carry every day that is the X1, but when going out at night I often slip it in a hip pocket to have for use.

The measurements of the new version of the X5T are one thing, but seeing the new light vs. the old one is another. I went into Target and compared about 6, picking the whitest and brightest (not much variation between most of them, though). All had the lanyard in the package.

Comparing the new one against the old one (several samples at home), I was very pleasantly surprised. DEFINITELY twice as bright, and sightly more white in color as noted by Quickbeam (same LED & color as the new X1). Definitely more throw (the beam of each of the new Nichias seem to be a bit narrower), but the new light is an even better flood light than before, for indoor use or walking outdoors. Don't know about the runtime, but CR123 batteries are my choice for emergency use and cold weather performance, and I would be surprised if the new X5T is very different from the old one as far as runtime goes.

If you liked the old X5T, you'll like this one even more, and if you carried the old one for any purpose you will want to replace it with the new one.

I'm surprised that Inova doesn't make any advertising claims about the improved version. The improvement is significant!

JML wrote: "The measurements of the new version of the X5T are one thing, but seeing the new light vs. the old one is another.
Comparing the new one against the old one (several samples at home), I was very pleasantly surprised. DEFINITELY twice as bright, and sightly more white in color
Don't know about the runtime, but CR123 batteries are my choice for emergency use and cold weather performance, and I would be surprised if the new X5T is very different from the old one as far as runtime goes."


Thanks for your report - the newer Inova X5 is significantly brighter - to the level of a good 1watt Lux - like you said one can see it easily.

However the runtime claim of 20hours is really suspect - I don't think it can do such a long runtime - my extrapolation calculations from a current draw of 0.21-0.26A was closer to about 6 to 7 hours.......

UnknownVT wrote: "Runtime claim of 20hours I think maybe suspect with the new LEDs -
I got current draw of between 0.21-0.26A - this extrapolates to only about 7 hours even with 100% efficiency on typical 1500mAh CR123 batteries......"

For those of you waiting..... it's over.....

Doug/Quickbeam has posted his updated review of the Inova X5 on FlashlightReviews.com (linked)

There is the much requested side-by-side comparison beamshot between the newer and older X5's.

Please note his runtime results - at 6hours12min to 50% and maybe 7.5hours to less than 25% initial brightness......

Great review once more, Quickbeam. To me, the runtime vs. brightness equation on this light still comes out in favor of the new version, given how much brighter it is!

Two of the old ones are in my car: one in the glove compartment for use inside the car, along with an Inova X03 for throw, and one X5 is in the trunk. I have a package of 6 extra CR123 batteries in there, for when I might need light for a long time, and they'll work far better in temperature extremes than alkalines. And another X5 is in one of my toolboxes used for close-up work with electrical tools. Old LED flashlights (unlike batteries) never die, they just get moved to other places...

But the new X5 is for selected pocket placement, when my U2 is overkill or far too bulky.

Here's my standardized Stairs "Practical" Beamshots for the Inova X5 -

Camera settings 0.6sec f/2.8 ISO100 daylight white balance - lens at 28mm equiv.

set next to Dorcy 1watt Luxeon 3x AAA and Fenix L1 v2.5

I need a new work light and for the love of god now I need another X5!

Is there a good way to tell the old x5t from new? At target today I was concerned about version since the ones they had in stock all had holsters.